


Eternal Mako

by birdroid, story_eater



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types
Genre: Custom Shepard (Mass Effect), Humor, I miss the crew, M35 Mako, Mass Effect - Freeform, Normandy-SR2, Other, Translation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 08:39:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16829011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/birdroid/pseuds/birdroid, https://archiveofourown.org/users/story_eater/pseuds/story_eater
Summary: Commander Shepard and his eternal love





	Eternal Mako

**Author's Note:**

  * For [birdroid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/birdroid/gifts).



> So, this translation is a "happy N7-day thing" for my sister and for all of Mass Effect fans.  
> p.s. Not a native English speaker, so some things may sound weird. I really tried though  
> Written by: aviann_te. Translated from Russian by: story_eater

The engineering section of SSV Normandy SR-1 was heavy with silence. The air was thick with mourning and dread. The starship crew members gathered in the storage room, their face expressions speaking of impending doom, looking nervously at the infamous Mako M-35.

Not one of them dared to get a step closer. 

Ashley Williams was looking impatiently in the direction of the weaponry, a very important job seeming to have been waiting her there. Tali'Zorah apparently decided to use the same tactics and was demonstratively checking her omni-tool, slowly taking tinу stealthy steps to the engine room - the only place where she would feel safe about her life. Kaidan was visibly suffering from his agonizing migraine attacks - every now and then he moaned in pain, clasping his forehead in his palms and swaying from side to side slightly. Here and there someone would bring up Dr. Chakwas’ name, and everyone knew - no matter what names Shepard calls in the next few minutes, the ship doctor will have a few patients to take care of later this day.

"Oh, come on!", the always buoyant Commander exclaimed cheerfully, spreading his arms and grinning widely - as if he was a barker calling out to passerbys to try a fascinating ferris wheel.

The team apparently misunderstood his jolly gesture - what they saw was Shepard gesturing with his strong and muscled arms to grab the unlucky crew member and force them into the notorious all-terrain vehicle. In a perfect synch everyone flinched in fear for their nearest future, and even Kaidan dropped his pretense, attacked by a true headache.

Having spent a lot of his free time with Mako, Garrus Vakarian was not afraid at all, but if he was to be honest with himself, he was not tempted by the prospective to go along with the Commander. The turian took a step back, hinting that now that Mako’s gun was tuned perfectly, his job with the all-terrain vehicle was successfully complete, and on this merry note he would be glad to give way to others. Wrex - the only crew member who too loved Mako dearly for its firepower and, as Urdnot put it, the "krogan temper", - chuckled boomingly looking at his team members. That didn’t help matters at all, and only brought more horror into the hearts of the rest of the "Normandy" crew.

"Well, I'll go", said Liara, the new in the group, and shyly raised her hand. Binking with her large naive eyes, she studied the quarian, the two humans and the turian, but she couldn’t figure out the reasons behind their mysterious behavior. 

Meanwhile not so brave and desperate Normandy’s crew members were thinking that the asari’s genuine childlike curiosity would cost her dearly - a serious injury (mental, if not physical) that will take years to cure. Unfortunately, not one of them had the time to warn the young asari about the dangers and hazards of the infinite space. Particularly, about the one that stood directly in front of them on its six mighty wheels.

"That's great!", Shepard vigorously patted her on the back and giving up to see more volunteers glanced at Wrex. "Are you coming with us?"

"Count me already there", the krogan replied immediately.

Wrex was the first to get inside, all the while singing a merry song about a fascinating and a promising trip he was looking forward to. Shepard, having learned the song and the melody, was singing along under his breath, at the same time enthusiastically enlightening Liara about the amazing possibilities of the engineering miracle she was about to ride in.

Mentally expressing sympathies to their new crew member, the Normandy crew members watched as Mako left the ship, landing on the terrain rich with mountains, and prayed to their gods that this time they escaped the scythe of death

"Sooo, that went awkward", Garrus was the first to break the silence. "We should have warned her."

The team accepted this unperformed gentlemanly act with approving - and slightly ashamed - nods. Kaidan was the first to give his two cents on the awkward situation.

"Yeah. This migraine attack had such a bad timing."

"And I have so much work to do in the armory", Ashley sighed sadly, "and those calibrations…"

"I can help you with that", Garrus offered in a friendly manner, but Williams, who preferred to work with those who had human skin and human fingers - and not tentacles, gills and fringes of various stripes and shapes - pretended to have missed that.

Tali, who had not yet thought of a worthy excuse, fled to the engineering room in her quiet and stealthy manner. To be honest, anyone from Adams’ team could replace her during the mission, but that did little to inspire her to jump into the crazy all-terrain vehicle.

One way or another, the team dispersed, each one wishing Liara a safe landing and a safe ride, and then took their own business.

***

Normandy SR-2 was doing well. Cerberus was generous with funding, Shepard was building his new team, personal issues and problems were slowly going away, and with all of that no one really thought about checking out what Commander's was purchasing now and then. 

One day Shepard was flipping through the list of goods from the black market - some stuff was unreasonably expensive, other stuff was looking good, and some things were, on the contrary, suspiciously cheap, but his mental shopping cart - which has already been grouped into “buying” and “not buying” - turned to dust when the savior of the galaxy saw "Mako" M-35 on the holopad screen. A warm nostalgic feelings crashed over Shepard, who was overcome with fond memories of the “good old days”, of how friendly his team lined up in anticipation of a fascinating journey on Mako to explore the surface of a newly met and yet unknown planet. He remembered how happy Liara was after her first ride on the all-terrain vehicle - the always shy and restrained asari shared her impressions using modest words “unique”, “so agile” and “I need to see Chakwas”.

Two days later the crew of the Normandy reborned was giving doubtful glances to the new six-wheeled team member. Needless to say Shepard was bouncing with joy around his newest acquisition, mad with happiness. Now and then it seemed like he was saying something to the vehicle.

"Can you imagine that! That’s our “Mako"! Same old one! They were able to fix it!"

No one in the team really understood Commander’s weird affection, and they were watching silently the tearful reunion worthy of the Most Dramatic Movie Award not hiding their surprised face expressions. 

"Quarians fixed it for a penny!" Shepard continued to admire the old friend, looking at Mako like it was the core of universal happiness.

"So we know who to punch… reward, that is", said Joker, who had left his favorite pilot chair for such an occasion, managed to caught himself in time. Having heard the chilling screams of his comrades, at first he thought it was another of Shepard’s bad jokes. But now he was thinking that next time he’ll throw this hellish thing right into a hot and distant star.

"I am too overwhelmed by feeling proud for my people’s deeds", Tali agreed with him sarcastically. She was standing near Joker, and no matter how deep her love to the Migrant Fleet went, the quarian was on the verge of returning there and tearing off the hands of all those involved in this unfortunate event.

"Maybe we can thank them by sending over Legion for the weekend", Garrus suggested joining the circle of those in the team who had been intimately familiar with the all-terrain vechile and now stood somewhat farther from the rest of the team. The turian silently cursed the moment when the Quarians who found Mako did not burn down in the layers of the atmosphere. 

"You know, maybe we should let him invite his friends as well. Let them walk alongside their creators."

"I’ll consider this", Tali nodded.

Miranda, feigning cold indifference, decided to come closer to the vehicle.

"I think I saw it on TV", she said thoughtfully, looking at the Mako from different angles.

"I’m sure it was the show on the most dangerous things in the galaxy", Garrus retorted, in his attempt to rectify the old mistakes and this time actually warn the inexperienced team members. Sadly, his target audience did not take the hint. Not single one of them. Except, Grunt.

"Ha! I like it!" He enthusiastically stomped the deck widely smiling to the new friend.

"Apparently, you really have to be a krogan to like it", Tali muttered under her breath, feeling already sorry for everyone who buys Shepard’s cheap promos and agrees to have a ride on the “miracle of engineering mind”. "Well, or you have to be Shepard."

***  
Reapers were diligently attacking colonies, sowing horror and panic throughout the galaxy, and soldiers were committing heroic acts and courageous deeds in every star system, but the Normandy SR-2 cargo hold, despite it being far away from the worlds under attack, was now the very core of true horror and panic. And unfortunately, none of the crew memebers felt in the mood to commit heroic acts or display courage.

"Am I dreaming? This must be a nightmare", Kaidan said, all his senses fighting the reality of what he was seeing, and took a step back unaware of himself. 

Alas, Commander’s wide and cheerfull smile told Kaidan - and everyone present - that reality was harsh. Shepard was happy as a child finally getting the long-awaited toy in his hands. 

"It has wheels", Javik noted with contempt, folding arms over his chest, trying - as usual - to hint at primitiveness of this cycle.

"I’m afraid, that’s not its biggest flaw, Javik", Liara explained laconically in a scared voice.

"Joker, you were supposed to get rid of it", Garrus hissed quietly to the pilot who had an open-mouthed expression on his face. "You had plenty of time!"

"I... Honestly, I... I ... " Joker stammered out, overwhelmed by the same sincere joy as the majority of the crew.

"You know what’s the funniest thing?" Shepard asked adopting his intriguing voice, confident that the crew was dying to know! He was almost dancing on the spot. "The Quarians found him again! Aren’t they amazing!"

The crew members, who clearly did not share Shepard’s views on the vagabond race, gave accusing stares to the young admiral of the Migrant Fleet.

"W-what? I have nothing to do with it!" Tali exclaimed, hoping to disentangle herself from the friendly warm thanks coming her way for something she did not do. "I swear it! Keelah se'lai!"

"I wonder if you even knew what evil deed was running right under your nose?" Garrus raised his voice angrily, scaring the young quarian who was petrified by the unfair and unreasonable charge.

"So, that’s the “drunk rhino”?" Vega asked quoting Kortez, giving appraising glances to the body and gun of the all-terrain vehicle. "When are we leaving?"

" The question is - who is leaving?" Ashley asked giving voice to the most important question that was causing unrest within the hearts of the many, and, excluding herself from the potential list, made a small step back.

"What about EDI?" Liara suggested in an attempt to avoid being a victim of space tourism. "This time, she’s the rookie."  
The ship’s AI made the same mistake T'Soni had made once ago - she did not understand the behavior of the team, and therefore did not even think to object.

"Are you joking? I will not let her come close to this machine of death!" Joker objected firmly, making a knightly step in front of the lady of his heart. "Why not Javik?"

The Protean, who was deeply confused by the situation, did not have time to respond when the archaeologist - who was desperately trying to befriend him - stood up to protect his life.

" He is the last protean!" she exclaimed, barely restraining herself using biotics in the fight to preserve rare intelligent species of the galaxy. "Maybe it's time for our pilot to make a closer acquaintance with "Mako"?", the asari offered as angrily as she could, folding her arms across her chest. "After all, he did not wash the dishes that last time!"

"I am Normandy’s pilot, and EDI is her soul!" Joker protested vehemently, deftly changing the topic of misdeeds, whilst the Mako tour did not acquire the official status of punishment for the guilty.

"It's alright, Jeff", - EDI placed a heavy, robotic arm on his shoulder in a convincing way, almost giving the pilot a new degree of disability. "I'll go".

After a brief farewell, filled with meek declarations of love, eternal oaths and other integral elements of the epic dramatic moments EDI left the deck closing the door after herself, signalling that the landing group was ready to meet the new terrain, and Joker made yet another vow to entertain "Mako" with the prominents of the red giant in the nearest future.


End file.
